title: Evaluation of fruit extracts of six Turkish Juniperus species for their antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antimicrobial activities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Juniperus L. (Cupressaceae) species are mostly spread out in the Northern Hemisphere of the world, and some of them are used as folkloric medicines. The fruits of some species are eaten. Since oxidative stress is one of the reasons for neurodegeneration and is associated with the Alzheimer's disease (AD), the extracts prepared from the fruits of six Juniperus species were screened for their antioxidant activity. Therefore, the extracts were also evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), which are chief enzymes in the pathogenesis of AD. In addition, antimicrobial activity was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the β-carotene-linoleic acid assay, acetone extracts of J. oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus, J. sabina and J. excelsa, and methanol extracts of J. phoenicea and J. sabina, effectively inhibited oxidation of linoleic acid. The hexane extracts of J. oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus, J. foetidissima and J. phoenicea showed remarkable inhibitory effect against AChE and BChE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of their high antioxidant activity, J. excelsa, J. oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus, J. sabina and J. phoenicia might be used in the food industry as preservative agents or extension of the shelf-life of raw and processed foods. Since the hexane extracts of J. oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus and J. foetidissima demonstrated significant anticholinesterase activity they should be considered as a potential source for anticholinesterase agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Muğla University, 48121 Muğla, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Tümen
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uğur
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydoğmuş-Öztürk
authors.forename: Gülaçtı
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Topçu
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase